Any hiring manager working for a company in one of the STEM disciplines needs to stay aware of the latest employment trends. With the economy continuing to improve, an acute talent shortage makes finding the best candidates a more difficult process. Organizations need to create a positive office culture to attract, hire and retain top-notch employees.
With the hopes of a more informed staffing process, here is the current hiring and employment outlook for the world of STEM.
The Latest Bureau of Labor Statistics on STEM Professions
At the end of March, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released its latest employment data as of May of 2016. These findings are valuable information for technology hiring managers.
Not surprisingly, software developers and application engineers are the STEM-related profession with the highest employment; coming in at just under 800,000 workers. Nearly all of the top 10 professions on the BLS list were related to computers. Computer user support specialists and computer system analysis were #2 and #3 on the list.
Professions not closely related to computers on the BLS list for STEM include sales representatives specializing in technical and scientific products. Additionally, civil engineers and mechanical engineers were at spots #8 and #9 in the top 10.
Salary Information Within the STEM Disciplines
According to the BLS data, the average yearly salary for STEM professionals is slightly under $50,000 as of May 2016. Petroleum engineers are the highest paid workers in STEM, with an average annual salary of $147,030. They were closely followed by computer and information system managers at $145,740.
Architectural and engineering managers, natural science managers and physicists are some of the other highest-paying STEM job titles. On the other side of the spectrum, the lowest-paying STEM roles include forest and conservation technicians, agricultural and food science technicians, as well as surveying and mapping technicians.
The Best Locations in the Nation for STEM
The metropolitan area with the largest percentage of STEM-related workers was California-Lexington Park, Maryland, at 22.2 percent, followed closely by the Silicon Valley bastions of Sunnyvale, San Jose and Santa Clara, California. Bolder, Colorado; Framingham, Massachusetts; and Huntsville, Alabama round out the top five metro areas in the BLS data.
In short, the overall STEM job market remains positive. Keep this in mind when formulating your company’s staffing plans for this year and beyond.
If you need additional insights on STEM hiring trends, talk with the experts at Synerfac. As one of the leading technical staffing agencies in Pittsburgh, we also provide a robust supply of quality candidates. Schedule some time with us as soon as possible.